Monday, October 15, 2012

One Thing We Can Count On: A Promise of Many Blessings

People will always let us down. 
Money, things, jobs, and all this world offers us may fill a temporary need, but in an instant they can all be lost or taken from us.
Schedules, plans, goals, and dreams can even be changed or be out of reach for us.
Life isn't always a rose garden....There will be times of sickness, sadness, stress, and chaos.

 When we are feeling like all is falling apart, what can we count on?
Not even our feelings are dependable. 
They change, day to day. Sometimes they will deceive us. 

In truth there is only One person and one thing we can depend on.
“For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. 
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.” (Lamentations 3:31-32 NIV)

I consider how the Lord has gotten me through many times of hardship, when I have had questions about why or how things could happen. When I've been at the end of my rope and had no strength left, He is here to pull me up out of the depths of despair.

 "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." (Psalm 54:4)

 And when I wonder if joy can ever return to my life, He plants a seed of hope and gratitude within me for even the simplest blessings. Even the long, hard, tiring days are seen in a different light, for He sustains me!

 There is one thing we can count on...but it's not anything that this world values. If we trust in our Savior's ways, we are promised many blessings from the Lord.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." Ephesians 1: 3(NKJV)

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Listing my gifts from the October Joy Dare list.
3 gifts orange:
1,001- Bright pumpkins, stacked and carved.
1,002- A beautiful autumn sunset.
1,003- The changing leaves, preparing to fall off their trees for winter.

 3 gifts falling:
1,004- Many, many leaves.
1,005- Falling temperatures...even though I'm not a fan of the cold!
1,006- Jumping and falling into piles of leaves!

 A gift caught, let go, mid-way:
1,007- caught: The sparkling of sunlight on the lake on a sunny afternoon. 
1,008- let go:  what is behind me.
Philippians 3:12 – 14 (NIV)
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
1,009- mid-way: Midway between this earthly life and heaven....caught in the middle...I hold on to God's Word!

 3 gifts reaped:
1,010- fields reaping the harvest of corn...
1,011- and soybeans.
1,012- Galatians 6:7-8: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

3 gifts returned-
1,013- My wallet, when I left it at work and didn't know until the next day.
1,014- I returned home from a long trip with my son, who went to see a dental specialist...5 hour round trip.(so glad to be home!)
1,015- Having returned to the workforce, after 4 years of being a full-time mom/homemaker.

3 gifts redeemed:
1,016- "I thought I could have leaped from earth to heaven at one spring when I first saw my sins drowned in the Redeemer's blood."  Charles Spurgeon 
1,017 - "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace"  Ephesians 1:7  
1,018- - Beautiful song!!! "Redeemed"

 A gift baked, stirred, eaten:
1,019- baked: fresh pumpkin rolls.
1,020- stirred:
1,021- eaten: homemade grape jelly, gifted to us from a friendly neighbor.

 3 gifts prayed for:
1,022- a new job
1,023- my brother's healing/better health
1,024-my son to make wise choices and have more joy in his life.

3 gifts praised for:
1,025- my new job!
1,026- comfort and peace, in spite of not being healed immediately.
1,027- trusting God will answer my prayers, in His time.

3 hard eucharisteo:
1,028- Giving my son's future over to God (again, and again)
1,029- Trusting God to provide.
1,030- Praising God, when my family is feeling oppressed.

3 gifts of change:
1,031- Adjusting to a new schedule (working evenings)
1,032- The changing of seasons...
1,033-  The changing of how the lake looks, as summer turns into fall.

A gift small, smaller, smallest:
1,034- Small: My 4 pound Chihuahua, Jet...with his sweet temperament.
1,035- Smaller: My feisty 3 pound Chihuahua, Sophie, who waits impatiently to have her freedom...
wants to be out and about... 
and loves to investigate with her big "brother". 
but doesn't like the cold fall winds that blow off the lake...
1,036- Smallest: The unborn fetus (life)
Local pregnancy center,saving unborn babies every week.
(Annual fundraiser)


3 gifts of the promise of blessings:
1,037- Times of rest and relaxation. 


1,038- A rainbow of promise, after many showers! 


1,039- There is a day coming when Christ returns and takes us to live with Him in heaven!(What a wonderful promise and blessing!)


  Linking over at these blog parties:





Word Filled Wednesday(Internet Cafe') 

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

The Greatest Gift, Multiplied

Hello, again, all my bloggy friends! Another week has flown by and I have no idea where it went! Anyways, I am here today because it is a special occasion for me.....I am listing my one-thousandth gift!!! I have kept you all waiting for a whole week, in great anticipation(I'm sure! haha). I wanted it to be special, something I would always remember. Of course, I've used this one before and it truly is the greatest Gift of all....you got it!
 
But as I was contemplating this, it came to me that this Gift is much more than just ONE gift. Through Christ, we have many other gifts! I found the list below and thought, WOW! This is just a small taste of all the many gifts we receive thru knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!! Really, the list is endless! As you think about all you are thankful for today, and some days it can be more difficult than others, look over this list. It is an amazing eye-opener for those who sometimes can't find anything to be thankful for, including me.

Jesus Christ is the Greatest Gift of All
80 Gifts From Jesus
Self-Help E-Bookstore

Jesus Christ gives life-changing gifts of freedom to whosoever follows him as Lord and Savior.  Gifts are in random order.  All links contain scripture promises.  Many links will contain Words from the Holy Spirit, visions and interpretations relating to a particular gift.  

  10. Gift of ability to forgive others  (Mat 6:12; 18:27; Eph 4:32)
  12. Gift of faith  (Jam 1:6, Phil 1:25)
  13. Gift of a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Heb12-28) 
  14. Gift of the anointing of the Holy Spirit (1John 2:20)
  16. Gift of physical healing  (1 Cor 12:9)
  17. Gift of helping others  (1 Cor 12:28)
  18. Gift of light to my soul  (John 8:12)
  19. Gift of a church  (1 Cor 11:18)
  20. Gift of a shield   (2 Sam 22:31)
  21. Gift of patience (Gal 5:22)
  22. Gift of strength (Psalm 28:7)
  23. Gift of spiritual armor (Eph 6:13)
  24. Gift of deliverance (Dan 6:27)
  25. Gift of righteousness (Eph 6:14)
  26. Gift of sacrifice (Rom 12:1)
  27. Gift of prayer  (1Cor 14:14)
  28. Gift of hearing God's voice (Rev 3:20)
  29. Gift of adoption as God's child (Rom 8:15)
  30. Gift of knowing you are precious to God (Ps 116:15)  
  31. Gift of a good night's sleep  (Pr 3:24)
  32. Gift of the Word of God  (Heb 4:12)
  33. Gift of salvation  (Ps 27:1)
  34. Gift of cleansing of your sin  (1John 1:7)
  35. Gift of the favor (Ps 5:12)
  37. Gift of thanksgiving (Ps 26:7)
  38. Gift of His gentleness (Gal 5:23)
  39. Gift of self-control (Gal 5:23)
  40. Gift of a clean heart  (Ps 51:10)
  41. Gift of high priest (Heb 7:26)
  42. Gift of comfort (Is 51:12)
  43. Gift of the ability to order your life (Ps37:23)
  44. Gift of our rest (Heb 4:11)
  45. Gift of mercy (Heb 4:16)
  46. Gift of grace (Eph 2:8)
  47. Gift of a friend who will never leave you (John 15:13)
  48. Gift of a guidance for your life (Ps 23:3)
  49. Gift of living water (John 4:10)
  50. Gift of the delight in Him (Ps 37:4)
  51. Gift of equipping in every good thing (Heb 13:21)
  52. Gift of overcoming the evil one (1John 2:13)
  53. Gift of purity (1 John 3:3)
  54. Gift of abiding in Him (1 John 3:24)
  55. Gift of the power of His resurrection (Phil 3:10)
  57. Gift of righteousness (Is 61:10)
  58. Gift of dreams and visions (Joel 2:28)
  59. Gift of His presence (Jude 24)
  60. Gift of His refuge (Psalms 46:1)
  61. Gift of His safety 
  62. Gift of His strength (Psalms 59:11)
  63. Gift of His security
  64. Gift of courage
  65. Gift of rest
  66. Gift of the mind of Christ
  67. Gift of discipline
  68. Gift of signs and wonders
  69. Gift of impartation
  70. Gift of understanding 
  71. Gift of angels (Psalm 91:12)
  72. Gift of help
  73. Gift of prophesy
  74. Gift of pleasure 
  75. Gift of His will 
  76. Gift of wisdom
  77. Gift of blessings of good things
  78. Gift of Lovingkindness
  79. Gift of abundance
  80. Gift of compassion. 



    Since this was a special one-thousandth gift post, I will wait till my next post to start listing my gifts from the October Joy Dare list. Here, in Indiana, our trees are all starting to really turn and the colors are beautiful! I hope to be posting some awesome photos, as well! Have a blessed Autumn week!

     

     Linking over at these blog parties:
    Word Filled Wednesday(Internet Cafe')   
    Soli Deo Gloria (Finding Heaven)

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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

His Mercies are New Every Morning {noon, or night}

I've been trying to slow down a little lately, to take time to be with the Lord each day and just talk to Him....but isn't it just like ole' Satan to make my life more busy and crazier than ever!? He will do anything he can to pull me away from time with God. I was reading Ann Voskamp's blog, "A Holy Experience" yesterday and was thinking about how crazy busy that homeschooling, farmer's wife, and mom of 6 must be! I raised a son, as well as was a stepmom to two ~ all who are now grown. My hubby and I recently downsized and moved to a cottage by a lake. I keep thinking, "Things should slow down for me." but it seems like time is so easily stolen away by all that still needs to get done before winter comes. My son, who has had some physical issues and has had to travel to get treatments has needed me to accompany him and will most likely be traveling (a 5 hour drive, there and back) about once a week. I just recently got a new very part-time job, working a few evenings a week, as a receptionist at my church. This week, my hubby and I have also been fighting off a mean stomach flu. Talk about feeling overwhelmed and consumed!

In my attempt to stay in God's Word and  fellowship with other Christians, I am currently involved in 2 Bible Studies, one at my church and an online book/Bible study. Finding time to be alone with God hasn't been easy lately. We currently are having our new lakehouse re-roofed and the roofers are here every morning by 7-7:30. (Though, they should be done within a week or so.) Since I am more of a night owl, I try to get some time in with God after my hubby goes to bed, usually around 10 p.m.  With the new job, though, that will be more of a challenge.
Google Image Result for http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/42/60/bible,fall,lamentations,photography,quote-4260f76bda4e2813bedd4d521c047853_h.jpg

I love these verses! They remind me that I don't have be be consumed by a crazy, busy life. They give me a chance to start anew each day with a new perspective.  Thankfully, God's schedule is very flexible and He doesn't mind me coming to Him in the evening, instead of the morning. I also love being reminded that His compassions ~ or mercies(English Standard Version) ~ never fail...they are always right wherever and whenever I come to Him.

 Did you ever just say to yourself out loud..."The Lord is my portion."? What exactly is a 'portion' anyways? 

One writer wrote:
When the psalmist speaks of God as 'my portion', it seems in one (very direct) sense to be identifying a relation with God as the lot he has identified himself as receiving: of all that could have come my way, what I have received as 'mine' is God - the ultimate of all gifts. But it strikes me there is also a slightly subliminal message, tucked into the nuance of the language: namely, that reference to one's portion is generally in minimalist terms. It is the 'little bit' I have received. So to speak of God as one's portion is to invert this. The 'little bit' I have received is, in fact, everything.
This seems to resonate with St Tikhon's words:
"For him, God alone is the pearl without price, for the sake of which he holds everything else as little."

I know He is my portion, but I'm still working on this, reminding myself each day that I am not consumed and that He is my portion!!  His mercies are new every morning, noon, and night!! Sometimes, just saying it out loud is enough to give me the right perspective.

 Today, I am celebrating the last of the September Gifts.    October Gifts are ready and waiting, as I continue counting....
3 Gifts Funny
982. An adorable sailboat that sits in my porch window.
983. Especially the little "native" boy {originally a baseball player statue with an attached straw hat glued over his baseball cap}
984. Some scrapbooking materials I won in a drawing...{for those days you would rather scrapbook, than ANYTHING else}

3 Gifts Finished
985. Another load of laundry
986. My front porch fall decorating.
987. Decorating with my hubby's rocks!
{photos will be coming of these in future posts}

3 Gifts Flourishing
988. My potted mums 
989. A friend's new job, where many doors have opened for her.
990. We are doing great, living on the lake in our little cottage.

A gift unexpected, uneven, unpopular
991. Unexpected - Getting our roof replaced so quickly.
992. Uneven - Our roof, which was a challenge for the roofers to figure out how to fix it, but they did.
993. Unpopular - The doctor that my son is seeing; the kind of doctor who has great medical knowledge, but no bedside manners.
  
A gift shy, shelved, shining
994. Shy - The Amish roofers that are working on our roof, taking a lunch break.

995. Shelved - some of my favorite seashells.


 996. Shin{y} - A large leaf, found in my front yard...
  

3 gifts that are new in the morning, noon, and night!
997. The sound of pounding and drilling at 7 a.m., knowing we don't have to do it ourselves.
998. Time spent with my son, talking, on the trip to see the doctor.
999. Time in quietness with the Lord, when all is hushed and family sleeps.

 1,000th Gift!!!!!  The greatest Gift of all.....to be continued.(Ohhhh, don't you just hate when this happens?) I bet you can guess, but you will just have to wait to read it in my next post! 




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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

"Figuring Life Out" - One Thousand Gifts

Hello everyone! It's a busy week for me, so this will be a short post, but I wanted to list my gifts of His blessings in my life. I'm so excited! I am VERY close to listing 1,000 gifts/blessings! I recently watched this video again.....it's such a great reminder that we need to slow down and pay attention to even the simple moments we live!!! So I wanted to share it with you again, too! Enjoy!(It's best, when seen in full screen, go to the small square next to the YouTube words.)

Have a wonderful week!

Counting my gifts with the September Joy Dare:
The joys of lake life:





3 gifts ugly-beautiful
961. Raw emotions can be so painful, but also help me experience life to it's fullest!
962. When I'm too busy, God slows me down by allowing obstacles to come into my life, often obstacles I don't like.
963. It seems like life speeds up when I'm doing fun things and slows down when I'm doing something I dislike doing!

A gift fixed, folded, freckled
964. Fixed - Got my internet problems fixed - got a new provider!! :)
965. Folded - A stack of freshly cleaned clothes, ready to be put away.
966. Freckled - The freckled look, when I look up at the maple trees, slowing turning their colorful fall hues.

3 gifts in conversation
967. Time spent conversing with a friend and having lunch together.
968. Online conversations - sharing with friends who don't live close on Facebook and my blog.
969. Conversing with another friend with texts on my phone.(What would we do without modern technology? Probably do more of #967.)

3 gifts in salvation
970. Eternal life with Christ!
971. Living for Christ, instead myself.
972. The leading of the Holy Spirit in my life.

3 gifts in information
973. Instructions, telling how to decoupage pumpkins. What a fun project!
 
974. Also love all the other cute 'crafty' ideas I have gotten from the internet! Like making bunting to hang.
975. Growing in knowledge and wisdom in Christ! So glad God gave us minds to learn about so many things!

A gift rattling, receding, reclaiming
976. Rattling - The rattling of clothes in the dryer (laundry day!)
977. Receding - Summer is officially over and daylight hours are receding, as Autumn begins.
978. Reclaiming - my time, studying God's word and in prayer.

3 gifts quiet
979. The quiet, when I get up early and walk out by the lake. (Rare occasion.)
980. The quietness when I'm home by myself. Sometimes it feels too quiet during the day. Other times, I welcome it!
981. The quiet after everyone else goes to bed and I'm up reading.


 Linking over at these blog parties:
Word Filled Wednesday(Internet Cafe')   
Soli Deo Gloria (Finding Heaven)


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Monday, September 17, 2012

Don't Lie to yourself, O My Soul!

Lying. 
From early childhood we are taught that it is wrong, that we need to tell the truth to our parents.

Then, as we got older, we were taught that little white lies were okay, so as not to hurt someone's feelings or if it could get you into a bad situation.

“A lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies.” ― Alfred Tennyson

Lies.
So often we believe our own lies. To ourselves and to others.

“The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. We live in denial of what we do, even what we think. We do this because we're afraid. We fear we will not find love, and when we find it we fear we'll lose it. We fear that if we do not have love we will be unhappy.” Richard Bach


 Our Common Self-Lies
—God only helps those who help themselves
—God’s love must be earned
—God understands that’s just the way I am. After all, He made me this way.(Living in sin)
—God does not know or see what I’m doing
—God sees things the way I do
—God is appeased by my giving
—God doesn’t believe in me   

 “Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.” ― Walter Scott

Satan is known as the father of lies.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44


"As Christ has a Gospel, Satan has a gospel too; the latter being a clever counterfeit of the former. So closely does the gospel of Satan resemble that which it parades, multitudes of the unsaved are deceived by it." A.W. Pink


 "Any time we open ourselves up to fear, we fall prey to his deceptions and intimidations. Yet, if we submit our hearts to God and stand in faith, we can resist those first fearful thoughts. As we yield to God we can master our reactions to fear and the enemy will soon flee. " Francis Frangipane

I love many songs sung by Audrey Assad. If you haven't ever heard her beautiful Christian music, I encourage you to check her music out on the internet or even buy her CDs. The song below talks about what lies we tell ourselves, how our souls long for Truth! Lyrics are also printed below.

Rivers and stones and the trees of the field, they sing in the night
And a thousand tongues lay deep in your lungs to raise to the sky

Don't lie to yourself, O my soul - love your God.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul - love your God.

Deep in your heart you feather and tar your folly and fear:
Expose them all for the fools they are, and the world becomes clear.

Don't lie to yourself, O my soul, just love your God.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul, just love your God.
Love your God.

Your worries will never love you
They'll leave you all alone
But your God will not forsake you
O my soul, my soul.

Don't lie to yourself, O my soul - love your God.
Don't lie to yourself, O my soul


 How can we know a deception or lie from the truth?

Sin will not come to you, saying, "I am sin." It would do little harm if it did. Sin always seems "good, and pleasant, and desirable," at the time of commission.

We need to realize that the Bible says to "test the spirits" and warns very strongly that the Last Days will be a time of "seducing spirits" and great deception.
 Two things we have to do:
1. Seek to know God with all your heart, soul, and might.

 2. Study the Word.
  1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be 
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.   
2 Timothy 3 (New King James Version)

Here is a detailed article on knowing more about learning to tell the difference between ties and truth.
 

Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free!! (John 8:32)
 
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 Counting my gifts with the September Joy Dare:
3 Hard Eucharisteo
946. Unloading boxes, after moving.
947. Preparing for construction to be done on our house.
948. Missing a friend who has moved on in her life.

3 Gifts in His Word
949. "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15(NIV)
950. "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." John 16:13 (NIV)
951. "...speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

3 Gifts scented, scrawled, started
952. My scented wax burner.
953. Boxes with contents scrawled and re-scrawled on them
954. Started - Trying my hand at knitting, I recently learned how.

3 Gifts paired
955. A pair of sweet canine-friends to keep me company during the day.
956. A pair of ducks, feeding out in front of our lakehouse.(A rare occasion)

957. A new pair of boots, I got on sale at T.J. Maxx

3 Gifts shared
958. Time spent with my mother, especially since we have not been as close the last few years.
959. The moments, fishing with my hubby. No stress. No pressures.
960. The love of Christ, shared with others. Experiencing a shared faith with other believers.


 Linking over at these blog parties:
Word Filled Wednesday(Internet Cafe') 
Soli Deo Gloria (Finding Heaven)
Gathering at the Grace Cafe'(Reflections of His Grace) 
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Everything is Blooming!!

Well, if it wasn't evident in my last post, it’s definitely very evident this time around!! Spring has sprung!!! We’ve been keeping so ...